


Burnt Sacred Ground

by bluemisfortune



Series: ROAN AU [7]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-24
Updated: 2017-04-24
Packaged: 2018-10-23 08:50:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,343
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10716150
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluemisfortune/pseuds/bluemisfortune
Summary: Chris wants to be alone with his memories. Everyone else seems to have other ideas.





	Burnt Sacred Ground

**Author's Note:**

> Another early one. Chris is around 22 and Thomas around 19. For anyone keeping track of the time line that's 4 years after Thomas' "death", 2 years before Nasch goes to the Archive, 6 years off the main plot.

 Thomas has two graves. The official grave where Paladin Photon Leo is heralded as a hero. A fallen Paladin who’d died serving his people. And the place where he had actually died.

 Chris watches the scorched, blackened earth in silence. He doesn’t know how to handle it. It’s been four years. Thomas would be turning nineteen in just a few weeks. Michael will be coming on for seventeen, but Chris has no idea where he is either. 

 What kind of older brother can’t find his youngest brother and stands by, forced to remain helpless, as the middle brother is killed?

 “I’m starting to wonder why I still let you come out here, Christopher,” the king sighs. Chris glances back at him under the veil. “It can’t be good for you to keep wallowing in the past.” His hand falls on Chris’ shoulder and Chris glared away. “You should move on and relax. You know, if you stopped being so rebellious, you could come home to the palace too, rather than living out there alone. You are, after all, one of my beloved sons.” 

 “Is that how you think of me?” Chris replies through his teeth. “When one of my brothers is dead and the other is nowhere to be found. Where are you keeping him?”

 “Somewhere you, dear Christopher, will never find him,” he whispers by his ear. Chris clenches his jaw, eyes narrowed, struggling to focus on the burnt earth rather than the king. “But, rest assured, little Michael is safe, and will continue to be as long as you fulfill your end of our deal.”

 “A lot of good it did Thomas.”

 “That was a fate of Thomas’ own doing. As long as you and Michael behave, your grace, I’m sure your beloved little brother will remain safe and well.” He turns away and Chris lowers his head, listening to his footsteps moving away. “It’s a terrible shame to hear you’re leaving again in the morning, Christopher. I do hope you return in time for the festival. It’s in Thomas’ honour, after all.”

 “As you wish, your majesty,” Chris says.

 “I’ll leave you with your guard then,” the king says. 

 Chris turns. “Guard-”

 There’s a Paladin standing a few paces back. Chris narrows his eyes. He doesn’t have need of a guard. He doesn’t need someone watching over him. He doesn’t need Kaito’s men watching over him. He doesn’t need Kaito acting like there’s any kind of friendship between them anymore. He was the greatest Paladin, there is no one who can harm him and Kaito sending out Paladins to look after him is just insulting. 

 

 The king sweeps away, followed by his own pair of Paladin guards. Chris tilts his head, watching silently as King Heartland’s hideous, gaudy bright robes fade into the distance. After a moment glaring, Chris turns to the Paladin.

 “You’re dismissed. Leave me be.” The Paladin doesn’t move and Chris frowns. “That’s an order, Paladin. Leave. This isn’t a place for outsiders like you.” Instead, the Paladin walks forward. Chris’ jaw clenches. “Leave! This is my brother’s resting place, I won’t allow intruders to-”

 The Paladin reaches up, pushing away his veil, pushing it back over Chris’ ornate hair. Chris stares down at him. How could he possibly be so bold? To remove the veil of nobility and royalty is sacrilege. Even if Chris finds these outdated ideas around the noble classes truly ridiculous, for a Paladin to be so bold is unheard of. 

 “What are you-” 

 He falls into stunned silence as the Paladin presses his fingers to his lips. What is he thinking? The Paladin steps closer still, closer than anyone should be a someone of Chris’ standing. Chris can’t find it in himself to say anything though. What does it matter? His title is a sham. He’s nothing anymore. 

 What does it matter if the Paladins have lost all respect for him?

 “You poor bastard,” the Paladin says, cupping his cheek. 

 Chris clenches his jaw, going to shove the Paladin away but there’s a knife pressed to his throat. Paladins don’t carry knives like that. Chris frowns, closing his eyes for a moment. That makes more sense.

 “Number.”

 “88,” the fake Paladin says. 

 Chris scowls. Paladins hunt troublesome Numbers. This one certainly is. Chris could disarm him. Kill him. Execute him like Numbers should be. He’d be well within his rights. He’d be a hero. 

 He’d be spilling more blood over Thomas’ grave.

 

 “You’ve lost your will to fight,” 88 says quietly. Chris watches him silently, not really caring what he thinks of him. His voice is oddly familiar. Something so comforting and familiar that Chris just can’t quite place. “The great Duke Heraldic, Christopher Arclight. Paladin Captain, Photon Caesar. Not so impressive anymore.” 

 “I’ve lost a lot of people I cared about,” Chris replies, eyes narrowed slightly. “You’ve done a lot of research, it seems, so you probably already know that. So, please, let’s not keep playing games, 88. Tell me what you want from me and I’ll see if it’s worth negotiating.” 

 The Number laughs, brushing his thumb over his cheek as he steps even closer. Far closer than acceptable; not just for someone approaching someone of Chris’ standing, but for anyone. This is an invasion of personal space on an entirely different scale. 

 “So much,” 88 whispers. “I want so many things from you. I want to give you something to fight for again.”

 “Why? There’s nothing left? Why should I fight? What for?”

 “For me.” He stretches up on his toes, bringing them face to face. “Because I love you. I love you more than anyone here. Tear the empire apart with me.”

 Chris scowls, taking the opportunity to knock the knife away into the undergrowth and kick his legs from under him, sending 88 crashing to the ground. Not that 88 seems to care, laughing even as Chris snatches the sabre from him and pushes it under his chin.

 “Is it true your kind find this kind of violence a turn on?” Chris says, doing his best to keep his voice level. 88 grins back. “No morals, no sanity, no sense or rationale beyond your own desire. I’ve hunted your kind for years now, but I really have no idea how much of those stories are true.”

 Chris’ thought wander to Thomas momentarily. How Chris had tried so hard to deny Thomas could be a Number. There was no way. All the lies and rumours about his brother. A Number. A rebel trying to overthrow the monarchy. Attacking the prince. 

 All lies, they had to be. 

 But still, watching this Number grinning up at him under his blade, Chris can’t help wonder how Thomas might have suffered if it was true. 

 “Why don’t you come down here and find out?” 88 laughs. “You’re as impressive as ever, Chris. Seems there's still some fire in you.” He licks his lips and Chris narrows his eyes. “I’m better than ever now too. I’m catching up on you.”

 Catching up? They know each other? 

 

 88 kicks his foot up, catching Chris’ wrist with his heel and the sabre is knocked away, landing in the dirt a little way off. Chris’ eyes widen a little and 88 sneers. Chris reaches down to yank him up by the collar but the Number kicks his legs from under him, dropping him to his knees over 88. 

 “Hi,” 88 laughs. “Falling for me, huh?” 

 He reaches up for Chris’ cheeks once more but Chris catches his wrists, pinning him to the dirt beneath him. 

 “You turn up here, at my little brother’s resting place, talking about these things, acting like you can give me something to fight for again, _ flirting  _ in a place like this-”

 “I’m a Number,” 88 says, shaking his head. “I have no morals, no decency, no soul or respect… why shouldn’t I act like that?” He twists a wrist free and yanks Chris down closer by his collar. “I love you, Chris. I want to comfort you. I want to give you reason to fight. I want to be with you.”

 “Why should I want any of that with you?” Chris snaps. 

 “Because you love me too.” Chris’ jaw falls open. How on earth did this Number think- “For revenge. For everything they did to us.” 

 “Who are you?” he breathes.

 “Chr- Your grace?” Chris lifts his head, watching Kaito silently for a moment. Kaito is staring down at them, scowling a little under his Paladin helmet. “His majesty said you were out here, I thought-” He pauses and tilts his head away. “I’m glad my Paladins are serving you well, even in your less respectable needs. I’ll leave you to it. I’m sorry for disturbing you.”

 He turns away and Chris sighs, watching him go. He’d killed Thomas. He’d stood by and watch Thomas die. Chris couldn’t care less about what Kaito thought of him. 

 

 “Chris,” the Number says softly, pressing a hand to his cheek. “You and I can find Michael. We make them pay.”

 “Michael?” Chris whispers, staring down at him. “How could you possibly-” He jerks 88 up by his collar and yanks off his helmet, golden and crimson hair falling messily around his handsome face. Older, rougher, with a jagged scar over one of his sharp eyes, but so definitely him. “...Thomas…”

 “Chris.” 

 Thomas laughs, leaning on his elbows as Chris stares down at him, taking in his form slowly. He looked well. Mostly. His fingers brush the scar over his eye, noting it’s slightly clouded compared to the other. His hair that used to hang around his shoulders, straightened and brushed and neat, is now choppy and rough and falls messily around his face. His still well built, no doubt due to the rough life of the Numbers on the Archive. He grinning up at Chris so casually. As if Chris hadn’t believed him dead for nearly four years. As if he hadn’t been going through hell wondering how he could have protected his brother. 

 As if he hasn’t just been  _ flirting _ with his own older brother!

 He narrows his eyes and slaps Thomas across the face before he can think to stop himself, forcing back the tears stinging his eyes. 

 “Careful, Chris,” Thomas laughs. “Didn’t we just establish violence is a turn on for my kind?”

 “Why do you have to be such a pain in the ass all the time?”

 He tugs Thomas up into his arms, wrapping him up tightly and burying his face in Thomas’ hair. He’s here. He’s safe. He’s in Chris’ arms again. He holds him close, eyes closed, struggling to make sense of things. Thomas had died. He doesn’t understand how he’s here, how he survived, how he got to the Archive - he can only imagine that’s where he’s been all this time - how he can be here-

 None of it matters. Chris just clings to to Thomas, keeping him close, swearing to never let him go again. He would never lose him again. 

 “I’m sorry I couldn’t save you,” Chris whispers. “I’m sorry.” 

 “I know,” Thomas replies. He pulls back, cupping Chris’ cheeks and tilting his head so they watch each other silently for a moment. “I know, Chris. I never doubted you. I never doubted you would have done anything to save me. It’s not you I’m mad at. It’s them. The empire. The Paladins.” 

 Chris nods. He pauses and frowns. “Kaito left you to die.” 

 “I know. He’ll pay. The entire monarchy and their empire.”

 “How?”

 “Rebuild the Leo for me.” Chris nods. “And be nice to Kaito.”

 “He won’t buy that,” Chris argues. 

 “Then be just a little nicer,” Thomas replies. He stands slowly and brushes himself off, picking up his helmet as he does. Chris stares up at him and Thomas smirks. “What about Byron? Doesn’t he still have a few heirs tucked away safe? See if you can’t make nice with him too.”

 Chris frowns up at him and Thomas offers him his hand. He takes it slowly and Thomas helps him up. He doesn’t know what to say or do. Thomas seems to have this plan but Chris couldn’t for the life of him think about what it is right now. Just knowing Thomas is alive is all that matters. 

 “Kamishiro and Shingetsu both have claims to their thrones still, right?” Thomas says. Chris nods and Thomas smiles, slowly pulling on his helmet. “I’ll be in touch, ok? Trust me.” 

 “Wait, wait,” Chris snaps. “You can’t just turn up like this and then walk away. Thomas-”

 “I’m being looked after,” he replies softly. “I’m safe. And I know how to get to the mainland when I need to. You’re still at Silver Water, right?”

 “Yes,” Chris replies, lowering his veil once more. He takes Chris’ hand lightly and lifts it to his lips gently. “It’s your home too. Come home when you can.”

 Thomas laughs a little and nods. “Don’t worry, I’ll always come home to you. And we’re going to find Michael.”

 Chris nods. It’s going to be fine. Everything’s going to work out just perfectly. He smiles and pulls Thomas close once more, wrapping him up in his arms. Everything is so much better now he knows Thomas is alive.

 

 “Thomas, your ridiculous flirting-”

 “Like you said,” Thomas says with a shrug. “No morals, no sanity, no sense or rationale beyond my own desire.” He tilts his head and Chris scowls. “Why are you so surprised a Number like me could do something like that.”

 “Because it’s not you,” Chris says firmly. He has to believe that. All these stories about Numbers, they can’t apply to Thomas. “I understand you have an inappropriate sense of humour sometimes-”

 “I really can’t be assed with the lectures, Chris. Don't beat around the bush, ask me what you want to; am I flirting to be a dick, or am I flirting because I like you? Right? Which do you want it to be? I’ll see you some other time. Think about it.” 


End file.
